What Should I Sow Now? June 2025

It’s been a tough, dry start — and for many, early oversowing (if you have sowed) has failed to deliver throughout Victoria.

Now that some moisture has finally arrived, you’ve made a decision: it’s time to plant again.

There’s still value to be had — choosing the right option for grazing or harvest is the next step. Peter Notman and Andrew Allsop are here to help you do that with their tips below:

Italian Ryegrass

Italian ryegrass stays leafy and digestible well into spring, giving you more flexibility with silage or hay timing. It’s a step up from annual ryegrass when you’re chasing later cuts and feed that holds quality.

Why choose Italian ryegrass now?

• Strong regrowth after silage cuts
• Dense-growing habit
• Keeps producing through to the end of season moisture
• If summer is mild or extended, it won’t force a full renovation
• Great fit when you’re not looking to summer crop
• Later cuts to suit your program
• Holds digestibility longer than cereals or annual ryegrass
• Extra power late, when other options run out of steam

Recommend sowing rate 35-40kg/ha.

Top options include Vibe and Megabite Premium.

Stock levels: Very good.

Annual ryegrass

It’s robust out of the ground, more reliable performer, growing quickly it gets moving with moisture and delivers early bite for grazing/silage quickly.

Why choose a robust annual?

• Robust establishment and fast early growth
• Ideal for early silage, setting up paddocks for a clean summer crop
• Provides valuable late spring feed before going stalky
• Affordable pricing suits tight seasonal budgets

Recommend sowing rate 35-45kg/ha.

Top options include Winterbite and Dash.

Stock levels: Good

Oats

Need fast early bulk? Forage oats deliver quicker than ryegrass, especially when sown late. They establish rapidly, push bulk early, and are ideal for grazing or cutting before ryegrass really gets moving.

Compared to annual or Italian ryegrasses, oats give you:

• Faster early growth
• More upright bulk for cutting
• Better cold tolerance in tough conditions

As the season progresses, increase sowing rate to ensure crop density — more seeds = more tillers = more feed.

Recommend sowing rate 100kg/ha. Push to 120kg/ha as winter progresses.

Top options include Wintaroo Oats, Express Oats, Saia Oats, even Ryecorn.

Stock levels: Very good

Adjusting Sowing Rates in June – More Plants, More Cover

As we move deeper into winter, soil temps drop and germination slows. That means ryegrasses and cereals won’t tiller as aggressively as they do in autumn — so the key is to compensate by increasing plant numbers at sowing.

Later sowing = less tillering 👉 So we substitute tiller density with more seeds per m².

Why it matters:

• Slower germination = reduced plant vigour
• Fewer tillers per plant in colder conditions
• You’ll need more plants upfront to hit target pasture density

Get in touch with our team for specific recommmedations for your farm and siutation.

Gippsland team

South-West Vic team